If you're serious about turning your life around, about getting healthy, reshaping your body, and taking responsibility for your life and health, then you need to have a realistic view of what it will take.
The cold hard facts are that it WILL be hard and take lots of work. There is no miracle diet pill that will reverse a lifetime of poor choices. There is no miracle diet where you can "eat everything you love and still lose weight" and have it last. Until you understand that, and embrace the work involved, you won't succeed. Here are the realities to reshaping your body and taking control of your health....you CAN do it!!!
1. Let's face it, you need to get your body moving in a big way to see any visible change in your shape. Taking a 1/2 hour stroll three days a week is good, better than nothing, but it WON'T produce a drastic change in your shape. To actually build muscle and burn fat, it will take exercising about an hour a day, in a very aerobic way (you should be working out hard enough that you can still talk to someone near you, but you don't want to because of the exertion). This scares people who aren't used to exercise. But there's really nothing to fear....remember: You can build up slowly! Start with an hour of exercise a day - but make the exertion level heavy for only as long as you think you can take it, then back off until you feel you can amp it up again. But keep to an hour no matter what. Before long, you'll be finding you can keep that exertion level up longer and longer for that hour. And as you build muscle, you will begin to rev up your metabolism - you'll be amazed at how much better your body burns fat!
2. Let's face it, you will need to sacrifice and change what you're used to eating. Yes, that daily chocolate bar or bag of chips is NOT a good thing! Eating those batch of freshmade chocolate chip cookies dipped in whole milk in front of your favorite nightly TV show is NOT a good thing! Munching weekly on fried chicken from the local KFC is NOT a good thing! This is not healthy for you, nor are they positive habits. You WILL have to "give up" some poor habits - but instead of looking at it as "giving up", look at it as "learning better!" Look at it as moving in a more positive direction! Look at it as taking control of your life! You will have to make some hard evaluations here - some honest assessments. Again, you can start slow here, taking some baby steps. Change ONE poor nutrition habit. Get that down well, then begin changing another poor habit. You'll be amazed at how strong you feel when you conquer your desires and when you notice your desires change over time! Fresh fruit suddenly becomes something you crave instead of a Snickers bar. A fresh salad hits the spot over a greasy burger. Yes, that does happen - but not by chance. It takes chipping away at your weaknesses and at your lifetime of poor choices little by little. But IT'S TOTALLY POSSIBLE AND IT'S ALL UP TO YOU!
If you acknowledge that reshaping your body and taking control of your health is going to be work, and you're ready to embrace the effort and control it will take, CONGRATULATIONS! Your success is virtually guaranteed with that attitude! You are ready for the adventure of your life. Get mark, get set, GO!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
True Beauty
We Americans sometimes have a very warped sense of beauty. My friend, Vreni, from Switzerland taught me this - not by her words, but by her actions.
When I met Vreni, she was here for a two-year stay because of a temporary work assignment her husband, Peter, accepted here in the States. Having no English language skills, she packed up her four children and some of their belongings, and bravely crossed the Atlantic for an adventure. And oh, how blessed I was, to be included in her experience!
Vreni is one of the most brave, strong, and loving women I have ever met. But she's no striking European "beauty." She's athletic and in shape with boundless creative energy. Her youngest daughter is a Down syndrome child and Vreni never tires of the constant training, teaching, and caring for this little girl. I guess you could say Vreni is "plain." She doesn't pluck her eyebrows, spend time with designer hair styles and cuts, color her hair, wear much makeup, or bother with looking trendy with the latest fashions. It's not that she doesn't appreciate outward beauty or the use of cosmetics and fashion to enhance looks, but it's not her focus. She's beautifully plain - her life is consumed with more vital concerns.
Vreni once told me that what she noticed most in our culture was not only how overweight the population seemed, but that we seemed obsessed with "fixing" ourselves superficially. In other words, instead of taking care of the body and being active and healthy, working on ourselves from the INSIDE OUT, we spent lots of money on fixing our ourselves from the OUTSIDE IN (botox, liposuction, makeup, designer-label clothes, fad diets). She knew that a healthy body on the inside reflected on the outside!
European women tend to eat much less processed food than us, they understand moderation much better, and while they can be some of the most glamorous women in the world, they exude beauty from their health. You see, Vreni focuses on internal beauty - not the outward adornment and trappings, but the inner strength of health and character.
Being of sturdy health is important and evident in how she feeds her family and in the activities her family enjoys. Bikes are used as transportation everywhere and for "holidays," they spend their time skiing, hiking, mountain climbing. They enjoy the beauty of nature, fresh air, and handgrown gardens. Breakfast is muesli and fruit. Lunch is the bigger meal of the day, usually filled with vegetables, some fresh bread, fresh fruit, and lean meat. Supper is their light meal, sometimes consisting only of whole-grain bread and cheese. That's it! Their desserts are not nearly as sweet as ours, but delicious nonetheless. Food doesn't consume their thoughts. They seem to have a grip on eating to live, not living to eat, yet still enjoying food and the company with which they break bread.
In the midst of exhibiting a healthy body on the inside, Vreni displayed another inner beauty: character...hard work, kind-heartedness, and honesty. Not once in Vreni's two years here did she become influenced by the ads bombarding her all the way from billboards to TV: "Diet your way to being thin AND beautiful, botox and liposuction your way to a flawless physique, happiness is found in physical appearances, beauty is skin deep." No. She stayed true to understanding the big picture of a woman's beauty: her love for her family, her care and concern for their health as well as her own, her loyalty to her friends, her faithfulness to her loved ones, her talents and skills.
And what Vreni gave to me in her gift of friendship, was her encouragement to me as a woman! She wasn't put off by my outward appearance. She never made me feel uncomfortable with my weight, but she made me look at a new side to eating healthy and becoming more active. And she didn't condemn me for my choice in using makeup or fashion to try to look "beautiful," because she understood that I wasn't finding value in myself through it, just enjoying how I looked with it. But she didn't just let me be... she always focused and appreciated on who I was as a person. She complimented my parenting, my family, my new skills in knitting, my cooking, my intelligence, my faith, all while encouraging me in an active lifestyle and healthier eating by her example. She knew me. Inside. And that is the greatest gift of all. She gave me a balanced perspective of myself. Yes, I was overweight - and for health reasons (NOT beauty) - she showed me that I needed to attend to that. But more than anything, I needed a balanced perspective about myself - and one that was not skin deep. I needed to reject my culture's idea of beauty, and instead embrace a strong and beautiful inner body - in health and character.
So in your quest for weightloss, keep your perspective untainted and clear. Do not define yourself by this culture's definition of beauty! Instead, focus on the inside out, pursuing the beauty of health and character!!
When I met Vreni, she was here for a two-year stay because of a temporary work assignment her husband, Peter, accepted here in the States. Having no English language skills, she packed up her four children and some of their belongings, and bravely crossed the Atlantic for an adventure. And oh, how blessed I was, to be included in her experience!
Vreni is one of the most brave, strong, and loving women I have ever met. But she's no striking European "beauty." She's athletic and in shape with boundless creative energy. Her youngest daughter is a Down syndrome child and Vreni never tires of the constant training, teaching, and caring for this little girl. I guess you could say Vreni is "plain." She doesn't pluck her eyebrows, spend time with designer hair styles and cuts, color her hair, wear much makeup, or bother with looking trendy with the latest fashions. It's not that she doesn't appreciate outward beauty or the use of cosmetics and fashion to enhance looks, but it's not her focus. She's beautifully plain - her life is consumed with more vital concerns.
Vreni once told me that what she noticed most in our culture was not only how overweight the population seemed, but that we seemed obsessed with "fixing" ourselves superficially. In other words, instead of taking care of the body and being active and healthy, working on ourselves from the INSIDE OUT, we spent lots of money on fixing our ourselves from the OUTSIDE IN (botox, liposuction, makeup, designer-label clothes, fad diets). She knew that a healthy body on the inside reflected on the outside!
European women tend to eat much less processed food than us, they understand moderation much better, and while they can be some of the most glamorous women in the world, they exude beauty from their health. You see, Vreni focuses on internal beauty - not the outward adornment and trappings, but the inner strength of health and character.
Being of sturdy health is important and evident in how she feeds her family and in the activities her family enjoys. Bikes are used as transportation everywhere and for "holidays," they spend their time skiing, hiking, mountain climbing. They enjoy the beauty of nature, fresh air, and handgrown gardens. Breakfast is muesli and fruit. Lunch is the bigger meal of the day, usually filled with vegetables, some fresh bread, fresh fruit, and lean meat. Supper is their light meal, sometimes consisting only of whole-grain bread and cheese. That's it! Their desserts are not nearly as sweet as ours, but delicious nonetheless. Food doesn't consume their thoughts. They seem to have a grip on eating to live, not living to eat, yet still enjoying food and the company with which they break bread.
In the midst of exhibiting a healthy body on the inside, Vreni displayed another inner beauty: character...hard work, kind-heartedness, and honesty. Not once in Vreni's two years here did she become influenced by the ads bombarding her all the way from billboards to TV: "Diet your way to being thin AND beautiful, botox and liposuction your way to a flawless physique, happiness is found in physical appearances, beauty is skin deep." No. She stayed true to understanding the big picture of a woman's beauty: her love for her family, her care and concern for their health as well as her own, her loyalty to her friends, her faithfulness to her loved ones, her talents and skills.
And what Vreni gave to me in her gift of friendship, was her encouragement to me as a woman! She wasn't put off by my outward appearance. She never made me feel uncomfortable with my weight, but she made me look at a new side to eating healthy and becoming more active. And she didn't condemn me for my choice in using makeup or fashion to try to look "beautiful," because she understood that I wasn't finding value in myself through it, just enjoying how I looked with it. But she didn't just let me be... she always focused and appreciated on who I was as a person. She complimented my parenting, my family, my new skills in knitting, my cooking, my intelligence, my faith, all while encouraging me in an active lifestyle and healthier eating by her example. She knew me. Inside. And that is the greatest gift of all. She gave me a balanced perspective of myself. Yes, I was overweight - and for health reasons (NOT beauty) - she showed me that I needed to attend to that. But more than anything, I needed a balanced perspective about myself - and one that was not skin deep. I needed to reject my culture's idea of beauty, and instead embrace a strong and beautiful inner body - in health and character.
So in your quest for weightloss, keep your perspective untainted and clear. Do not define yourself by this culture's definition of beauty! Instead, focus on the inside out, pursuing the beauty of health and character!!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
12 Ways to Boost Your Will Power!
There WILL be times when will power isn't enough to keep you on the straight and narrow. We all know that - we've all experienced it. It's that incredibly overwhelming, spine-tingling desire for chocolate or sweets that suddenly grips you as you come upon a Dunkin Donuts store, causing you to cut off the person beside you in your manic attempt to cross two lanes of traffic to make the entrance to the eatery...as if this is the only chance to eat chocolate you will ever have again in your life! Or the way you convince yourself that you deserve a night off of exercise because your boss yelled at you in front of your co-workers, your teen spilled soda on the keyboard of the brand-new computer, you had a flat tire on your way to little Katie's soccer practice, and Fido had trouble controlling his canine functions all day. So before "life happens", here's some tips to help boost your will power in advance:
1. If by chance you cave, and eat that candy bar or skip that workout, it DOES NOT mean you've failed and have ruined everything. All it means is that you've been reminded you are human and you've had a bad day. The next day is a new day with no mistakes in it yet! Dust yourself off and start fresh again. Just try to control the thought: "Well, I've already eaten two donuts tonight, what's three more going to hurt?"
2. When you're not sure you're feeling hungry but you feel like putting something in your mouth, try drinking a glass of water first. We are terrible at keeping ourselves hydrated, and we mistake hunger for thirst. Wait 10 minutes after the drink to see if you still feel hungry.
3. Try brushing your teeth when you feel a craving. That fresh minty breath doesn't go well with a bag of chips!
4. The earlier in the day you get in the habit of exercising, the less likely you'll find reasons to postpone and cancel the workout! And try always to have something you can fall back on when there's inclement weather - an exercise DVD, a stationary bicycle, a treadmill, etc. Remember, better health isn't all about just changing diet - it's about exercise (moving your body more), too. This can't be stressed enough!
5. When you're unpacking groceries, cut up the raw vegetables and wash the fruit before you even put them in the fridge. You'll be more apt to snack on cucumbers, carrots, grapes, broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, etc. if they're handy and ready for when your cravings strike. I never put a watermelon or cantaloupe in my fridge until I've cut it up. I just have made it a habit to cut them up in bite-size pieces and place them in a storage container before they see the light inside my fridge! And with today's marketing, you can purchase precut veggies and fruits for those of you who wouldn't spend the time to prepare these fresh items for snacks.
6. Don't skip breakfast. I'll say it again. Don't skip breakfast! We've all heard that before, but it's true....you will want more later if you starve now. And you'll be more likely to reach for something quick and unhealthy to satisfy that hunger once it hits. By the way, coffee does not constitute breakfast! And fried hash browns and cinnamon rolls would not be a healthy choice - delicious yes, healthy, no! I'm usually not hungry in the morning, but I force myself to eat a fruit (usually a banana) and sometimes some healthy grain, like Bran Flakes or oatmeal. It's not a lot either - not a heaping bowlful - just a 1/2 cup or so to make sure I'm getting fiber, which will help me feel full longer and provides me with wonderful nutrients to fuel my body. And pleeeeeease, don't load up on sugary cereal, either. You will end up hungry in no time and have not given yourself the proper fuel to get through the bulk of the morning!
7. Drink water, and lots of it! Don't just save drinking water to avoid a craving. Drink throughout the day! Morning till night. Eight 8 oz. glasses of water is the recommended amount. It's not much if you space it throughout the day. I like to buy bottled water in the ginormous size and sip on it all day long. Then you have the goal right in front of you without counting individual glasses of H2O. This will help curb your appetite, flush impurities from your body, and even improve your skin! Look at that - an anti-aging formula right out of your sink!
8. Place your workout clothes next to the bed. You'll be less tempted to skip that workout if all you have to do is roll out of the bed right into your sneakers and slip on your clothes then and there.
9. Better yet, partner up for your exercise! My friend Tina and I would run every morning together at 6:00 while we were in college. We'd be done by 6:30 and be the first ones in the eating hall. Yes, you read that right....college girls getting up at 5:45 a.m. to hit the pavement by 6:00 a.m.! You see, we planned that on purpose. If I knew she was getting up at that ungodly hour to exercise for me, then I had better well get my buns out of bed and not keep her waiting. And she felt the same responsibility toward me. I'll tell you what - there were many a morning that burrowing under my covers would have been my choice - but knowing Tina was down the hall getting her running clothes on when my alarm went off made me get my rear in gear!
10. Pick only two things to change about your health at once. Stick to changing only one poor nutrition habit and only one thing for increasing your activity level, until you get those two things under control. Once you've conquered those two goals, you can make two more, so on and so forth. These can be as simple as "I will not eat after 7:00" and "I will park in the farthest parking lot at work," to "I will not eat products with white flour" and "I will walk 45 minutes six days a week. " The range of goals will depend on your current state of health - remember, these are individual goals, but the end result is the same - healthier bodies!!!
11. Try eating several small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones. If you keep your blood-sugar level constant throughout the day, you'll be less apt to binge. And you keep it constant by eating proper foods every few hours (sugar only wreaks havoc with this level). Proper foods would be lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and whole grains. It might look like this: 7:00am (banana and wholegrain cereal) 10:00am (a slice of low-fat cheese and a few multigrain crackers) 1:00pm (some baked chicken slices thrown in a salad chockfull of different veggies - spinach, lettuce, cukes, tomatoes, onions - some sunflower seeds, and a small apple) 3:00pm (a small yogurt - Stonyfield is my fave because you can buy it at your local grocery store and it has the least amount of sugar and no artificial sugars - and toss some walnuts or almonds in it) 6:00 pm (a lean protein - fish, chicken, turkey, soy - steamed veggies, broccoli anyone? and some wild rice).
12. If you do eat traditional meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), then make lunch your larger meal! If you make a mistake and eat too much earlier in the day, you still have the rest of the day to counter it with more activity. But if you binge in the evening, you'll just go to bed and wake up feeling "hippy" - literally.
You CAN do this!!! Understand your weaknesses and temptations, and confront and conquer them with well-laid! You will fall once in a while, but have the courage to get back up and try, try again.
The choices you make today determine your tomorrow!
1. If by chance you cave, and eat that candy bar or skip that workout, it DOES NOT mean you've failed and have ruined everything. All it means is that you've been reminded you are human and you've had a bad day. The next day is a new day with no mistakes in it yet! Dust yourself off and start fresh again. Just try to control the thought: "Well, I've already eaten two donuts tonight, what's three more going to hurt?"
2. When you're not sure you're feeling hungry but you feel like putting something in your mouth, try drinking a glass of water first. We are terrible at keeping ourselves hydrated, and we mistake hunger for thirst. Wait 10 minutes after the drink to see if you still feel hungry.
3. Try brushing your teeth when you feel a craving. That fresh minty breath doesn't go well with a bag of chips!
4. The earlier in the day you get in the habit of exercising, the less likely you'll find reasons to postpone and cancel the workout! And try always to have something you can fall back on when there's inclement weather - an exercise DVD, a stationary bicycle, a treadmill, etc. Remember, better health isn't all about just changing diet - it's about exercise (moving your body more), too. This can't be stressed enough!
5. When you're unpacking groceries, cut up the raw vegetables and wash the fruit before you even put them in the fridge. You'll be more apt to snack on cucumbers, carrots, grapes, broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, etc. if they're handy and ready for when your cravings strike. I never put a watermelon or cantaloupe in my fridge until I've cut it up. I just have made it a habit to cut them up in bite-size pieces and place them in a storage container before they see the light inside my fridge! And with today's marketing, you can purchase precut veggies and fruits for those of you who wouldn't spend the time to prepare these fresh items for snacks.
6. Don't skip breakfast. I'll say it again. Don't skip breakfast! We've all heard that before, but it's true....you will want more later if you starve now. And you'll be more likely to reach for something quick and unhealthy to satisfy that hunger once it hits. By the way, coffee does not constitute breakfast! And fried hash browns and cinnamon rolls would not be a healthy choice - delicious yes, healthy, no! I'm usually not hungry in the morning, but I force myself to eat a fruit (usually a banana) and sometimes some healthy grain, like Bran Flakes or oatmeal. It's not a lot either - not a heaping bowlful - just a 1/2 cup or so to make sure I'm getting fiber, which will help me feel full longer and provides me with wonderful nutrients to fuel my body. And pleeeeeease, don't load up on sugary cereal, either. You will end up hungry in no time and have not given yourself the proper fuel to get through the bulk of the morning!
7. Drink water, and lots of it! Don't just save drinking water to avoid a craving. Drink throughout the day! Morning till night. Eight 8 oz. glasses of water is the recommended amount. It's not much if you space it throughout the day. I like to buy bottled water in the ginormous size and sip on it all day long. Then you have the goal right in front of you without counting individual glasses of H2O. This will help curb your appetite, flush impurities from your body, and even improve your skin! Look at that - an anti-aging formula right out of your sink!
8. Place your workout clothes next to the bed. You'll be less tempted to skip that workout if all you have to do is roll out of the bed right into your sneakers and slip on your clothes then and there.
9. Better yet, partner up for your exercise! My friend Tina and I would run every morning together at 6:00 while we were in college. We'd be done by 6:30 and be the first ones in the eating hall. Yes, you read that right....college girls getting up at 5:45 a.m. to hit the pavement by 6:00 a.m.! You see, we planned that on purpose. If I knew she was getting up at that ungodly hour to exercise for me, then I had better well get my buns out of bed and not keep her waiting. And she felt the same responsibility toward me. I'll tell you what - there were many a morning that burrowing under my covers would have been my choice - but knowing Tina was down the hall getting her running clothes on when my alarm went off made me get my rear in gear!
10. Pick only two things to change about your health at once. Stick to changing only one poor nutrition habit and only one thing for increasing your activity level, until you get those two things under control. Once you've conquered those two goals, you can make two more, so on and so forth. These can be as simple as "I will not eat after 7:00" and "I will park in the farthest parking lot at work," to "I will not eat products with white flour" and "I will walk 45 minutes six days a week. " The range of goals will depend on your current state of health - remember, these are individual goals, but the end result is the same - healthier bodies!!!
11. Try eating several small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones. If you keep your blood-sugar level constant throughout the day, you'll be less apt to binge. And you keep it constant by eating proper foods every few hours (sugar only wreaks havoc with this level). Proper foods would be lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and whole grains. It might look like this: 7:00am (banana and wholegrain cereal) 10:00am (a slice of low-fat cheese and a few multigrain crackers) 1:00pm (some baked chicken slices thrown in a salad chockfull of different veggies - spinach, lettuce, cukes, tomatoes, onions - some sunflower seeds, and a small apple) 3:00pm (a small yogurt - Stonyfield is my fave because you can buy it at your local grocery store and it has the least amount of sugar and no artificial sugars - and toss some walnuts or almonds in it) 6:00 pm (a lean protein - fish, chicken, turkey, soy - steamed veggies, broccoli anyone? and some wild rice).
12. If you do eat traditional meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), then make lunch your larger meal! If you make a mistake and eat too much earlier in the day, you still have the rest of the day to counter it with more activity. But if you binge in the evening, you'll just go to bed and wake up feeling "hippy" - literally.
You CAN do this!!! Understand your weaknesses and temptations, and confront and conquer them with well-laid! You will fall once in a while, but have the courage to get back up and try, try again.
The choices you make today determine your tomorrow!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Knowledge is Power, Right?
I was once told that there's a key difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is simply being in the possession of information. Wisdom on the other hand, is not only having knowledge, but then acting upon that knowledge (information) to do the right thing. Wouldn't it make sense then that the opposite of wisdom is foolishness....having knowledge but refusing to act upon it or refusing to do the right thing with the information given?
Swallow that for a minute (it'll be the most nutritious thing you do today)! I hate to go against current trends, but I disagree with the notion that knowledge is power. Simply knowing something isn't enough! It's what you DO with that information that's powerful! I know many individuals who hold high degrees and yet they seem to make very foolish decisions in life. So knowledge per se hasn't done anything for them, other than maybe put them in a higher pay bracket at work! But it's the individuals (and not necessarily those with higher degrees!) who take knowledge and apply it that seem to benefit the most. So I think a more accurate statement is "Knowledge that is followed through with correct action is power." How's that?!
Okay, so what does this have to do with diet, fitness, health, etc.? Well, let me list a few statistics to arm you with, um, knowledge.....
1. "An unhealthy diet and physical inactivity can increase your chances of getting heart disease, cancer, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, breathing problems, arthritis, gallbladder disease, and osteoarthritis." (women'shealth.gov)
2. "Being overweight or obese accounts for 20% of all cancer deaths among women and 14% among men, notes the American Cancer Society. Plus, losing excess pounds reduces the body's production of female hormones, which may protect against breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. Even if you're not technically overweight, gaining just 10 pounds after the age of 30 increases your risk of developing breast, pancreatic, and cervical, among other cancers." (AOLbody)
2. "For most women, carrying extra weight around their waists (larger than 35 inches) raises health risks like heart disease, diabetes, or cancer more than carrying extra weight around the hips or thighs. Obesity can also affect medical care. Too much fat can obscure imaging tests, like X-rays, CT scans, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). For example, in an ultrasound, the beam may not be able get through layers of fat to get an image of a person’s appendix, gallbladder, or kidneys. Too much body fat can make it harder for a doctor to make a medical diagnosis and treat a patient." (women'shealth.gov)
3. Of women in the U.S. 20 years old and older, over 64 million are overweight and over 34 million are obese. Body mass index (BMI) measures obesity based on weight and height with relation to body fat. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. (women'shealth.gov)
4. In 2005, the leading cause of death among women was heart disease (28.6%) and cancer (21.6%) according to Women's Health USA.
5. "Nearly twice as many U.S. adults are obese compared to Europeans, a key factor leading Americans to suffer more often from cancer, diabetes and other chronic ailments." (Reuters Health 10/2/07)
6. "Treatment of these and other chronic diseases adds between $100 billion and $150 billion to the annual health care tab in the United States. The United States spends significantly more per capita than any European country on health care, about $2 trillion annually, or 16 percent of the gross domestic product." (Reuters Health 10/2/07)
7. There is no one cause for type 2 diabetes, but it seems to run in families, and most people who get type 2 diabetes are overweight. (women'shealth.gov)
8. You can reduce your risk (of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, etc.) by eating heart-healthy foods, getting regular exercise, keeping a healthy weight, and quitting smoking. (women'shealth.gov)
Which would you rather be: wise or foolish? You now have some knowledge about women's health.......what will you DO with this knowledge???
Swallow that for a minute (it'll be the most nutritious thing you do today)! I hate to go against current trends, but I disagree with the notion that knowledge is power. Simply knowing something isn't enough! It's what you DO with that information that's powerful! I know many individuals who hold high degrees and yet they seem to make very foolish decisions in life. So knowledge per se hasn't done anything for them, other than maybe put them in a higher pay bracket at work! But it's the individuals (and not necessarily those with higher degrees!) who take knowledge and apply it that seem to benefit the most. So I think a more accurate statement is "Knowledge that is followed through with correct action is power." How's that?!
Okay, so what does this have to do with diet, fitness, health, etc.? Well, let me list a few statistics to arm you with, um, knowledge.....
1. "An unhealthy diet and physical inactivity can increase your chances of getting heart disease, cancer, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, breathing problems, arthritis, gallbladder disease, and osteoarthritis." (women'shealth.gov)
2. "Being overweight or obese accounts for 20% of all cancer deaths among women and 14% among men, notes the American Cancer Society. Plus, losing excess pounds reduces the body's production of female hormones, which may protect against breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. Even if you're not technically overweight, gaining just 10 pounds after the age of 30 increases your risk of developing breast, pancreatic, and cervical, among other cancers." (AOLbody)
2. "For most women, carrying extra weight around their waists (larger than 35 inches) raises health risks like heart disease, diabetes, or cancer more than carrying extra weight around the hips or thighs. Obesity can also affect medical care. Too much fat can obscure imaging tests, like X-rays, CT scans, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). For example, in an ultrasound, the beam may not be able get through layers of fat to get an image of a person’s appendix, gallbladder, or kidneys. Too much body fat can make it harder for a doctor to make a medical diagnosis and treat a patient." (women'shealth.gov)
3. Of women in the U.S. 20 years old and older, over 64 million are overweight and over 34 million are obese. Body mass index (BMI) measures obesity based on weight and height with relation to body fat. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. (women'shealth.gov)
4. In 2005, the leading cause of death among women was heart disease (28.6%) and cancer (21.6%) according to Women's Health USA.
5. "Nearly twice as many U.S. adults are obese compared to Europeans, a key factor leading Americans to suffer more often from cancer, diabetes and other chronic ailments." (Reuters Health 10/2/07)
6. "Treatment of these and other chronic diseases adds between $100 billion and $150 billion to the annual health care tab in the United States. The United States spends significantly more per capita than any European country on health care, about $2 trillion annually, or 16 percent of the gross domestic product." (Reuters Health 10/2/07)
7. There is no one cause for type 2 diabetes, but it seems to run in families, and most people who get type 2 diabetes are overweight. (women'shealth.gov)
8. You can reduce your risk (of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, etc.) by eating heart-healthy foods, getting regular exercise, keeping a healthy weight, and quitting smoking. (women'shealth.gov)
Which would you rather be: wise or foolish? You now have some knowledge about women's health.......what will you DO with this knowledge???
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Strong Mind Leads to Strong Body!
My theory is that the first battle of weight loss and fitness is waged in the mind. Once you've conquered the mind - at least overpowered it to work for you instead of against you - then your body naturally follows. Hence, in my last post (Oct. 4, 2007), I shared with you the story of Dick and Rick Hoyt. Dick subjected himself to rigorous physical training in order to provide a dream-come-true experience for his handicapped son, Rick. This man wasn't a runner, and I don't think he really even knew how to swim. But for the sake of his son, he took the challenge of training for races, later for marathons, and then unbelievably, ironman competitions. He had to gird his mind to force his body to comply with such training; if his mind wasn't fully engaged in it, he wouldn't have succeeded!
Well lo and behold, my newspaper published a story today about the "true grit" of a local U.S. soldier who was severely injured in Iraq in September 2006, and finally returned home a few weeks ago. The incredible part of Rick Yarosh's story is not the explosion that burned and scarred his face so terribly that his nose and ears are gone, or that he rolled into contaminated water to put out his fire only to have the bacteria in the water cause cholera and skin fungus, or that his shattered right leg had to be amputated below the knee, or his hands are mutilated, or even that he's had to be away from family and friends while in Texas at a military hospital and rehabilitation for a year. No, the absolutely incredible and beautiful part of this story is this man's attitude, his strength of mind to focus on his little improvements and what he can do, instead of on the long, long difficult road ahead of him and the things he can't do. It's absolutely awe inspiring.
So once again, I'm providing a link to a story of another human being who has overcome overwhelming circumstances. And my point? To remind you that whatever problem you're facing, the battle to beating it begins in the mind! We can relate this idea to health and fitness. Once you dig down deep inside you and find a reason for WHY you should pursue better health, then conviction grabs hold and you've got half the battle won. The next step is to then move your body in an "amped up" way from what you are used to - and not leisurely for just a few days a week! Commit to 45 minutes to one hour at least five days a week! You might as well face the music now - changing your shape and health is going to be hard work. If you can accept that, then you're on the road to progress. Last, change one poor nutrition habit - and there you go, take baby steps forward toward your goal. Focus on how you're improving and not on the long road ahead of you!
Well lo and behold, my newspaper published a story today about the "true grit" of a local U.S. soldier who was severely injured in Iraq in September 2006, and finally returned home a few weeks ago. The incredible part of Rick Yarosh's story is not the explosion that burned and scarred his face so terribly that his nose and ears are gone, or that he rolled into contaminated water to put out his fire only to have the bacteria in the water cause cholera and skin fungus, or that his shattered right leg had to be amputated below the knee, or his hands are mutilated, or even that he's had to be away from family and friends while in Texas at a military hospital and rehabilitation for a year. No, the absolutely incredible and beautiful part of this story is this man's attitude, his strength of mind to focus on his little improvements and what he can do, instead of on the long, long difficult road ahead of him and the things he can't do. It's absolutely awe inspiring.
So once again, I'm providing a link to a story of another human being who has overcome overwhelming circumstances. And my point? To remind you that whatever problem you're facing, the battle to beating it begins in the mind! We can relate this idea to health and fitness. Once you dig down deep inside you and find a reason for WHY you should pursue better health, then conviction grabs hold and you've got half the battle won. The next step is to then move your body in an "amped up" way from what you are used to - and not leisurely for just a few days a week! Commit to 45 minutes to one hour at least five days a week! You might as well face the music now - changing your shape and health is going to be hard work. If you can accept that, then you're on the road to progress. Last, change one poor nutrition habit - and there you go, take baby steps forward toward your goal. Focus on how you're improving and not on the long road ahead of you!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Can't Get Much More Inspiration Than This!
All of us need inspiration to pursue our goals at one time or another. To achieve better health, it takes commitment, hard work, discipline, and desire. After looking at these two videos, I think you'll agree that you can't find something much more inspiring than this. This is a true love story between a father and a son...a father who gives his entire self to helping his handicapped son reach his goals. The first video is a little over five minutes and the second is a little over four. If this video makes you want to grab life today, commit to something difficult, and gives you courage, then it will be the best 10 minutes you've spent this year! In your moments of weakness, remember: Anything is possible!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPSUrR3ipQc&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gm7XwtIJdM
Get off the sidelines and live life! You CAN!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPSUrR3ipQc&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gm7XwtIJdM
Get off the sidelines and live life! You CAN!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Life's Not a Dress Rehearsal
I don't know who originally said this, but this came through on an e-mail today and it's definitely worth repeating:
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that's why it's called the present. Live and savor every moment...life is not a dress rehearsal.
Life is not a dress rehearsal. Life is not a dress rehearsal. Life is not a dress rehearsal. Got that? Such a simple statement but so profound. How many of you watch others live life (on television, in movies, in books) instead of living it yourself! How many of you wish and wish and wish for better health, to be more in shape so you have the energy and stamina to actually go out and do the things that look like fun, but don't have the courage to step out and make the changes necessary to get your wish? (By the way, wishing hard enough won't make it happen - YOU have to make it happen!)
It's possible! Yes, it is. Don't play the victim anymore. Refuse to listen to lies that hold you back from accomplishing your health goals. For some reason, we have this mentality that we can only pursue better health if we're 100% sure that we won't fail, or slip here and there. If we think we can't be perfect at our pursuit of weight loss and fitness, then we don't even try in the first place! We don't see that little steps are just as important as giant leaps!
Picture this: Getting anywhere takes placing one foot in front of the other. Sometimes we have to back track before we can go forward again. Sometimes we stand still in place and regroup. But then we march forward again. And each march forward puts us closer to our destination.
Pursuing your health goal not only starts with this kind of a journey, but it ends up being a lifelong journey. Now don't let that scare you! That's not a bad thing; it's a beautiful thing! I have come to terms with the fact that until the day I die, there will not be an "Aha, I've done it, I've arrived, I've now reached my health goal and I'm done!" You see, choosing to eat healthy, choosing to exercise, choosing to LIVE my life instead of watch others live it is a daily decision. Daily. And you know what? That's a blessing. As I look at individuals who struggle with handicaps and illness, I realize what a blessing and opportunity I have to be able to use my two good legs, and two good arms, and healthy heart and muscles. Let me be a good steward of them (see my 8/28/07 post)! And for those individuals struggling with handicaps or illness, being in the best possible health you can be in is even more vital.
Life is not a dress rehearsal. This is the real show. Now go live it!
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that's why it's called the present. Live and savor every moment...life is not a dress rehearsal.
Life is not a dress rehearsal. Life is not a dress rehearsal. Life is not a dress rehearsal. Got that? Such a simple statement but so profound. How many of you watch others live life (on television, in movies, in books) instead of living it yourself! How many of you wish and wish and wish for better health, to be more in shape so you have the energy and stamina to actually go out and do the things that look like fun, but don't have the courage to step out and make the changes necessary to get your wish? (By the way, wishing hard enough won't make it happen - YOU have to make it happen!)
It's possible! Yes, it is. Don't play the victim anymore. Refuse to listen to lies that hold you back from accomplishing your health goals. For some reason, we have this mentality that we can only pursue better health if we're 100% sure that we won't fail, or slip here and there. If we think we can't be perfect at our pursuit of weight loss and fitness, then we don't even try in the first place! We don't see that little steps are just as important as giant leaps!
Picture this: Getting anywhere takes placing one foot in front of the other. Sometimes we have to back track before we can go forward again. Sometimes we stand still in place and regroup. But then we march forward again. And each march forward puts us closer to our destination.
Pursuing your health goal not only starts with this kind of a journey, but it ends up being a lifelong journey. Now don't let that scare you! That's not a bad thing; it's a beautiful thing! I have come to terms with the fact that until the day I die, there will not be an "Aha, I've done it, I've arrived, I've now reached my health goal and I'm done!" You see, choosing to eat healthy, choosing to exercise, choosing to LIVE my life instead of watch others live it is a daily decision. Daily. And you know what? That's a blessing. As I look at individuals who struggle with handicaps and illness, I realize what a blessing and opportunity I have to be able to use my two good legs, and two good arms, and healthy heart and muscles. Let me be a good steward of them (see my 8/28/07 post)! And for those individuals struggling with handicaps or illness, being in the best possible health you can be in is even more vital.
Life is not a dress rehearsal. This is the real show. Now go live it!
Lose a Jeans Size in Four Weeks???!!!
I just found a site for those who want more structure in their quest to drop a jeans size...and a support group to boot. I tend to be more of a loner, and I need flexibility. But there are those who thrive on a community of fellow fitness hounds and who desire a list of "to dos". If that fits you, check out this Web site sponsored by Fitness Magazine. It's a national challenge to lose a jeans size in four weeks.
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/ycdi/?psrc=fitycdihp
I ask you to remember one thing: Pleeeeease keep more focused on your overall health than on the number on your jean's tag. Go ahead and glean from the site ways in which you can incorporate healthier choices into your everyday life. Exercise must be one of your priorities as well as healthier food choices. (Don't let the idea of exercise intimidate you - just start moving your body every day in a manner that's "amped" up from what you're used to!) And maybe this challenge is just what you need to jump start your motivation for change.....
And again - You CAN do it! :-)
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/ycdi/?psrc=fitycdihp
I ask you to remember one thing: Pleeeeease keep more focused on your overall health than on the number on your jean's tag. Go ahead and glean from the site ways in which you can incorporate healthier choices into your everyday life. Exercise must be one of your priorities as well as healthier food choices. (Don't let the idea of exercise intimidate you - just start moving your body every day in a manner that's "amped" up from what you're used to!) And maybe this challenge is just what you need to jump start your motivation for change.....
And again - You CAN do it! :-)
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